Red Dead Revolver - PS2 - Preview

These days it
seems that while many new action/shooter games are being released, they all seem
extremely similar to one another. For this reason I have to applaud Capcom on
their newest game that falls within this genre: Red Dead Revolver. This is a
Western shooter game and of course it is the first of this type for the PS2.
While the concept of a Western shooter is far from new, (e.g. Mad Dog McCree)
it’s never really been approached with the right attitude and done right - until
now.

The premise of the
game is as follows. The main character, Red, is the lone survivor in his family
of an attack by a group of unmerciful desperados. After he is taken in by an
Indian, who teaches him ways of survival, he returns to his town with a
vengeance. In this bounty hunter’s quest to rid the town of the renegades,
there’s much blood to be shed and much money to be made. Luckily, old Red has
quick moves and is the fastest slinger in the West.

This game has a
great feel that, while not realistic, combines unique elements of old Western
flicks and lets gamers engage in some very entertaining battles. The original
Western theme songs along with the entertaining storyline also help to get you
hooked. The controls are simple and the targeting system is extremely effective
during battles, as long as you remember to draw your weapon. And yes, you can
ride and battle on horses.

The camera is a
third person perspective and this allows the many enemy characters to be taken
on with ease. To do the job, various guns can be acquired by first building up
cash from bounties and then purchasing them from the local dealer. The double
barrel shotgun is one that’s very powerful and extremely fun, but of course you
can never go wrong with the old six-shooter. You can’t kill innocent
bystanders, which as sick as it may be, is a bit disappointing. Luckily, though
there are a wide variety of slingers to take down in many different situations.

From a graphics
standpoint, this game is very appealing. The characters themselves are all
physically unique and greatly detailed. All of them are very animated and the
AI, including emotions, is quite impressive. The environments are straight out
of old movies and include: frontier towns, a ghost town, an old military fort
and mine shafts.

Also included is a
multiplayer mode in which it’s possible to play with up to 4 players in a Wild
West style deathmatch.

Capcom has a great
product on their hands here that will surprise many people. It’s very unique
and the overall Western feel is quite authentic. Expect to see it available in
November 2002.